Great American Smokeout encourages smokers to quit

One-third of cancer deaths could be prevented by avoiding tobacco products

November 6, 2011

The 36th annual Great American Smokeout is Nov. 17. This will be the perfect day to make a plan to quit smoking for good. An estimated 46 million people in America still smoke, including roughly 325,000 Iowa adults. The Great American Smokeout encourages smokers to commit to making a long-term plan to quit smoking for good.

For more than half a century the American Cancer Society has been leading the fight against tobacco. In 1954, American Cancer Society researchers were among the first to link cigarette smoking to early death from lung cancer. Thirty percent of cancer deaths, including 87 percent of lung cancer deaths, can be attributed to tobacco. Smoking cigarettes and cigars is the most common cause of lung cancer, which kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and melanoma cancers combined. Studies have shown that tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S.

As the official sponsor of birthdays, the American Cancer Society marks the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 17 by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. By doing so, smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life - one that can lead to reducing cancer risk and creating more birthdays.

In addition to health matters, there are some other compelling reasons to quit smoking. Smokers nationwide now face an average cost of $5.58 for one pack of cigarettes, including taxes. The majority of U.S. communities are now covered by smoke-free laws and federal regulation of tobacco products places tough new restrictions on the marketing and sale of tobacco products to children and adults. Smoking also accounts for $193 billion in health care expenditures and productivity losses.

Quitting smoking is not easy, and the American Cancer Society wants to help. When you're ready to quit tobacco, the American Cancer Society is here to help. Mark your calendar for the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout on Nov. 17 - the day to make a plan to quit smoking for good. Visit cancer.org/smokeout to pick a quit day, prepare for quitting, and get support after you've quit. Download special tools designed to help support you on your journey and to fight cravings. By quitting smoking, you can take one of the most important steps toward staying well and helping create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. We're in your corner around the clock at (800) 227-2345 or at cancer.org.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than 3 million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As a result, about 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. There has never been a better time to quit smoking. Please join the thousands of smokers across the U.S. who will be participating in the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 17. For more information or to get help call (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org. To learn how you can help in the fight against cancer, please contact Liddy Hora, American Cancer Society, Community Relations, at 576-7975 or liddy.hora@cancer.org.

Fact Box

Quick facts:

There are immediate benefits of quitting tobacco use.

At 20 minutes after quitting:

Blood pressure decreases.

Pulse rate drops.

Body temperature of hands and feet increases.

At eight hours:

Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.

Oxygen level in blood increases to normal.

At 24 hours:

Chance of a heart attack decreases.

At 48 hours:

Nerve endings start re-growing.

Ability to smell and taste is enhanced.

Shortness of breath decreases.

Landra Carroll is the stewardship director for Holy Trinity Catholic Parish and volunteers for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Webster County's Coordinating Committee.